Band in hot water with the province over interpretation of Alberta crest

An Edmonton band has been asked by provincial officials to stop using an altered version of the Alberta crest that the band has started using on t-shirts and posters.

Junior Gone Wild has performed in front of Alberta’s provincial flag, which has almost become a signature for the band since it was presented to them by the Alberta government several years ago.

“For years, our backdrop has been the Alberta flag, and it was given to us by the Progressive Conservative government, Doug Main, when he was minister of culture and multiculturalism,” Mike McDonald, lead singer of Junior Gone Wild, said.

However, it appears the group’s relationship with the province could be on shaky ground, as officials are apparently not impressed with their altered version of that very crest that has been used on the band’s merchandise.

The band’s posters and t-shirts feature what looks like the Alberta crest, but with guitar necks in place of the wheat, a two-lane highway over the rolling green hills and the band’s name across the middle.

McDonald said the band has been asked to stop using the piece in their merchandise.

“We didn’t do anything wrong in my opinion, and they have this law that prohibits us from expressing ourselves in the way we want to,” McDonald said.

The lead singer said he took the phone call from the government, after a complaint was filed by someone who walked by McDonald’s record store near Whyte Avenue, and saw the band’s poster in the window.

“So we contacted the group and said ‘You know what, it’s an inappropriate use and you’re going to have to stop using it,’” Beryl Cullum, spokesperson for Alberta Culture, said.

It’s a request McDonald wasn’t happy about, but now that the t-shirts are nearly sold out, he said he won’t make more, and he won’t fight the province.

With files from David Ewasuk

Photos

Edmonton-based band Junior Gone Wild has been using an altered version of the Alberta crest (L), compared here to the actual provincial crest.